Today @ APSU - University News http://www.apsu.edu/news
enAPSU alumna Orton heading to grad school at Cambridgehttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-alumna-orton-heading-grad-school-cambridge
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Orton_scroll.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – In certain academic circles, Dr. Simon Keynes, Elrington and Bosworth professor of Anglo-Saxon history at the University of Cambridge, is considered a “rock star.” In addition to being the great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin and the grandnephew of economist John Maynard Keynes, the renowned professor is a member of the British Academy and a fellow with the Royal Historical Society. As a scholar, he isn’t easily impressed, but earlier this year, Keynes was intrigued enough by recent Austin Peay State University graduate Brittany Orton’s research that he agreed to take her on as a graduate student next fall at Cambridge.</p><p>“He’s a rock star of Anglo-Saxon history,” Orton said recently. “The opportunity to study under him will be amazing.”</p><p>Her acceptance into the nearly 800-year-old university is the realization of a life-long goal—a goal she never expected to achieve. As a precocious eight-year-old, Orton became fascinated with the medieval history. She thought of becoming an archeologist, but her lack of motivation in high school almost stopped her from attending a university that existed during the medieval period.</p><p>“I almost didn’t graduate high school because I failed too many classes,” she said. “I went to college at 18 and failed out of that.”</p><p>A few years later, after marrying a U.S. Army soldier and having three children, she ended up earning her associate’s degree in Alaska. Then, when her husband was reassigned to Fort Campbell, she suddenly found herself living near a university with strong history and language programs. Orton enrolled at Austin Peay and decided to take a Medieval England class taught by Dr. Cameron Sutt, associate professor of history.</p><p>“In my last year here, I fell in love with Anglo-Saxon history,” she said. “This is from the 5<sup>th</sup> century to the 11<sup>th</sup> century. My family has ties with the Anglo-Norman people, but I’d never heard anything Anglo-Saxon until last year.”</p><p>Orton, a history major, began taking all the classes taught by Sutt, APSU’s resident medievalist.</p><p>“She’s a wonderful student,” Sutt said. “She got it. She knew what the main points were, understood the significance. When I was writing the recommendation for her (for Cambridge), I thought, ‘She just might have a chance at this.’”</p><p>Orton’s fascination with Anglo-Saxon history and culture also took her into APSU’s Department of Languages and Literature. To have a proper understanding of medieval history, and to be able to read many of the texts produced in that period, a scholar needs a strong background in Latin.</p><p>“She took all of our Roman Civilization classes,” Dr. Stephen Kershner, assistant professor of Classics, said. “She impressed me, and I nudged her toward other classes. I tried to steal her from Cameron (Sutt). She has a strong basis in Roman history, and I think that will do her well in English history.”</p><p>After earning her Bachelor of Science in history, with a Classics minor, Orton returned to campus to continue her studies. She began attending an Old English reading group, led by Dr. Lynn Simms, associate professor of English.</p><p>“It’s an informal group, and you don’t have to have any background in Old English,” Simms said. “We’re working on ‘Beowulf’ in Old English. We translate outside of class and then read. Brittany brings a lot to the group. She brings in the history.”</p><p>When thinking back to her years in high school, Orton referred to herself as lazy. That word caused her professors to laugh when she recently mentioned it to them.</p><p>“She’s doing all this with her husband on long deployments,” Mary Winters, senior Classics instructor at APSU, said. “She’s also taking care of her three kids. She recognized it’s hard work, and she’s willing to do it.”</p><p>Last year, Orton, who has never traveled overseas, applied to Cambridge’s one-year graduate program in Anglo-Saxon history. The key to getting into the exclusive school, Sutt said, is to get one of its renowned professors interested in your research project. Orton submitted her application, hoping that Keynes would like her topic, “Queenship in 9<sup>th</sup> century Wessex.” She then waited to hear back, periodically checking her application status online.</p><p>“I was at the gym, getting ready to do my thing, and I thought, ‘I’ll just check it,’” Orton said. On her cell phone, she saw an offer for admission into Cambridge. “I freaked out. I didn’t have anybody to tell, except the gym people, and they just stared at me.”</p><p>In the summer of 2017, Orton and her family will move to England for her to study under Keynes. By the next year, her name might join a distinguished list of Cambridge alumni that includes Stephen Hawking, John Milton, Lord Byron and Isaac Newton.&nbsp;</p>Thu, 08 Dec 2016 14:52:01 +0000boothcw136510 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU redefining first-year experience through national higher ed projecthttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-redefining-first-year-experience-through-national-higher-ed-project
<p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – This academic year,&nbsp;Austin Peay State University is participating in a national higher education project known as “Foundations of Excellence.” The project, sponsored by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, will use a model of excellence to redefine the first-year college experience at Austin Peay.</p><p>“One of the main priorities of this University is to make sure we help students earn a great education that culminates in a college degree,” Dr. Alisa White, APSU president, said. “Helping these students succeed is our focus as soon as they enroll, and certainly students who enter as freshmen must learn to do college-level work and to transition to college life. Our involvement with this nationally recognized initiative will help us ensure that they have the resources and support they need to graduate.”&nbsp;</p><p>Research has long indicated that new students who are successfully integrated into college are much more likely to succeed. Many colleges, therefore, work especially hard to create a first-rate experience for new students.&nbsp;</p><p>Since February of 2003, the Foundations of Excellence project has involved hundreds of two- and four-year colleges and universities across the country in developing the standards that constitute a model first year. Austin Peay will work with the&nbsp;Gardner Institute&nbsp;this academic year. Through this program, the University will measure its effectiveness in recruiting, admitting, orienting, supporting, advising and teaching new students. Austin Peay will then be able to make programmatic improvements that will increase student learning, success and persistence.&nbsp;</p><p>“While much is known about how a campus can improve new student learning and retention, this information has never been synthesized or translated into aspirational standards that are reflective of best practice,” John N. Gardner, president of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, said. “The absence of clear standards has powerful educational and financial consequences. This project brings together a number of highly credible researchers, reformers and practitioners, who are creating the blueprint that for too long has been missing.”</p><p>Additional information about the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education and this project can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.jngi.org/">JNGI.org</a>.</p>Tue, 06 Dec 2016 18:07:21 +0000boothcw136458 at http://www.apsu.eduAustin Peay physics professor receives $300,000 NSF grant to conduct research on innovative glass materialshttp://www.apsu.edu/news/austin-peay-physics-professor-receives-300000-nsf-grant-conduct-research-innovative-glass-mater
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/20161202-Laser-Research-2162.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Crystalline materials form the foundation of virtually all electronic equipment, serve as the engine powering Silicon Valley and have enabled the modern computing revolution. But despite their importance, crystalline materials, which include silicon and sapphire and are valued for their unique properties, are naturally rare and expensive to produce.&nbsp; By contrast glass materials, which do not arrange their atoms in a regular crystal structure, are inexpensive and easily produced.</p><p>For the past few years, Austin Peay State University students and professors have been addressing this very issue, traveling the globe to work with some of the world’s leading experts in glass production as they explore possible substitutes for crystalline materials in modern technology.</p><p>“The quality of our life significantly depends on materials we use in high-tech fields like electronics and optics,” Dr. Andriy Kovalskiy, Austin Peay physics professor, said. “In those fields, simple crystals are preferred because of their unique properties, but they’re extremely expensive. What we’re trying to do is develop materials which will be much cheaper, but have the same properties of those single crystals.”</p><p>In 2014, Kovalskiy and his team received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct research into the possibility of applying glass thin films for use in applications such as infrared photonics, optical computing and memory devices.</p><p>While the films have numerous beneficial properties, Kovalskiy said there was much work to be done before they could be considered stable enough for use in modern tech.</p><p>“We are working with what are known as amorphous materials, which are materials that have some disorder to their structure,” Kovalskiy said. “The idea is that they contain comparable properties, but are much cheaper because they are ‘every day’ items like glasses and films.</p><p>“What we submitted to the NSF was a proposal to study the development of amorphous materials, in this case we are studying film materials, and how they interact with light for use in optical technology.”</p><p>The money received from the NSF has been used to provide a team of students the opportunity to work on their research on a near full-time basis. Currently, Kovalskiy has five students – four physics and one chemistry student – working as a part of the department’s “Glass Group” and publishing their findings alongside researchers from Lehigh University and the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic. NSF grant funds have been used to provide each researcher with a salary, as well as the materials and equipment needed to conduct their research.</p><p>In addition, Austin Peay students, under the guidance of Kovalskiy and other professors from Austin Peay’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, have traveled to the Czech Republic, France and Brazil to share ideas and learn new techniques from top minds in their field.</p><p>Joshua Allen is one of those students who has focused his attention on the work being done by Kovalskiy’s team. Allen recently spent a month at the University of Pardubice, preparing slides for use in the evaporation of arsenic sulphur.</p><p>Only a junior, Allen is an example of the research opportunities commonly reserved for graduate-level students that are offered to undergraduates at Austin Peay. Allen has been a co-author of four presentations during annual meetings of the American Physical Society Southeastern Section (since joining Kovalskiy’s team.)</p><p>“I had Dr. Kovalskiy for my first physics class my freshman year and he mentioned research was being done (at Austin Peay), so I pretty much bugged him until he let me join the team,” Allen said. “I was only a sophomore when I got the chance to go over (to the Czech Republic), and it was really a great experience. I’ve only been doing this work since spring of my freshman year, and I really love what I’m doing.”</p><p>A junior transfer student, chemistry major Virginia White is in her first year at Austin Peay and has quickly become a part of the research team. White’s work has primarily centered around finding new ways to produce glass in an oxygen-free environment – a task that White said has been difficult, but extremely rewarding.</p><p>“What I love about this team is that, as soon I started here, Dr. Kovalskiy gave me an objective that was up to me to figure out,” White said. “Figuring out (how to create glass without contamination with oxygen) has not been easy, but it’s shown me how much time and effort needs to be put into science.</p><p>“Before I became a part of the research being done here at Austin Peay, I didn’t think science was that difficult, but I’ve learned so much since I was given the opportunity to do serious research.”</p><p>For more information on Austin Peay’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and the research being conducted, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/physics" title="www.apsu.edu/physics">www.apsu.edu/physics</a>.</p><div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-story-image">
<div class="field-label">Story Image:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<img class="imagefield imagefield-field_story_image" width="2048" height="1365" alt="" src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/story_images/20161202-Laser-Research-2162.jpg?1480971019" /> </div>
</div>
</div>
Physics and AstronomyScience and MathematicsMon, 05 Dec 2016 20:49:01 +0000harriscj136427 at http://www.apsu.eduDistinguished professor Mike Gotcher to deliver APSU commencement address on Dec. 9http://www.apsu.edu/news/distinguished-professor-mike-gotcher-deliver-apsu-commencement-address-dec-9
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Gotcher.jpg" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – On Dec. 9, Dr. Mike Gotcher, professor of communication and interim executive director of the APSU Center at Fort Campbell, will deliver the keynote address at the APSU’s Winter Commencement. He will speak at both commencement ceremonies, at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., in the University’s Dunn Center.</p><p>Gotcher received his Bachelor of Arts degree from APSU and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University. During his long professional career with Austin Peay, he has served as a professor, chair of the Department of Communication and interim dean of the College of Graduate Studies. He has helped developed several academic programs, directed around 100 graduate theses and research projects and served on numerous University committees.</p><p>In 1994, Gotcher was honored for his scholarly work with the University’s Richard M. Hawkins Award. Last May, he received the 2016 APSU National Alumni Association’s Distinguished Professor Award.</p><p>He assumed his new role as interim executive director of the APSU Center at Fort Campbell on Aug. 15, 2016.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In 2008, APSU began hosting two graduation ceremonies to accommodate the University’s growing number of graduates. The first ceremony, featuring candidates from the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Science and Mathematics, will begin at 9 a.m. The second ceremony, featuring degree candidates from the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, the College of Business and the Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education, will begin at 2 p.m.</p><p>APSU offers a free live Web cast of each commencement ceremony. A link to the Web cast will be made available within 24 hours of each ceremony. The ceremonies also will be broadcast live on Magic 91.9 WAPX-FM, a broadcast service of the APSU Department of Communication.</p><p>For more information, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/commencement">www.apsu.edu/commencement</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -30-</p>Mon, 05 Dec 2016 16:24:19 +0000boothcw136417 at http://www.apsu.eduMilitary and Veteran Graduate Recognition Ceremony Dec. 7 for APSU Fall Graduateshttp://www.apsu.edu/news/military-and-veteran-graduate-recognition-ceremony-dec-7-apsu-fall-graduates
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/coin_photo.jpg" width="400" height="533" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Active duty military and veteran students graduating from Austin Peay State University in December will be honored with an APSU military coin and a special cord to wear with their commencement regalia.</p><p>The military and veteran graduate recognition and coin presentation ceremony, with the theme “All Hail to Those Who Serve,” is scheduled for 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7 in the Mabry Concert Hall, located inside the Music/Mass Communication Building on the University campus. The event is open to the public.</p><p>The guest speaker will be Sgt. Maj. Ruben Arriaga, the vice president of the APSU Military Alumni Chapter since 2014. Arriaga graduated from Austin Peay in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice with a focus in homeland security, and will receive his Master of Science in health and human performance with a concentration in health leadership: health administration path at fall commencement.</p><p>In 1996, Arriaga enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as a rifleman in the 4-31 Infantry. A year later, he joined the Battalion Scouts, followed by two years with the Ft. Drum Long Range Surveillance Detachment.</p><p>In 2002, upon completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course, Arriaga was assigned as a communication sergeant to 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Kentucky. As a member of Operation Detachment Alpha (ODA) 582, he deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He would go to Iraq several more times, serving as operations sergeant of Operational Detachment Bravo 570 on his last tour with Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion.</p><p>When he returned, Arriaga took over ODA 5315 as team sergeant and deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom. Following that deployment, he became a first sergeant for the 3rd Battalion Support Company, and in 2013, he was selected for promotion to sergeant major. After a year of service in the CENTCOM Area of Operation, Arriaga joined Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, as the company sergeant major. With this company, he deployed to Jordan, with a follow-up mission into Syria to support Operation Inherent Resolve.</p><p>Arriaga is a graduate of Air Assault School, Airborne School, Ranger School, Jump Master School, SERE, SOTIC, Special Forces Intelligence Course, Combat Diver Qualification Course, DIVE Supervisor Course and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. His awards include the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star X 6, ARCOM with Valor X 2 and the First Special Service Force Frederick Award.</p><p>APSU created its first coin with military students in mind. The antique bronze color coin, designed by the APSU Office of Public Relations and Marketing, is finished with black enamel. The first set was cast in 2011.</p><p>On one side of the coin, the eagle is prominently displayed as the nation’s symbol, along with other American patriotic elements. The University’s AP logo is situated at the bottom of the coin. The words, “All Hail to Those Who Serve,” were crafted from the lyrics of APSU’s alma mater and from the military’s customs and courtesies to welcome those who have joined the unit.</p><p>The other side of the coin shows an image of the clock tower atop the Browning Administration Building, generally considered the emblem of APSU. The year APSU was founded, 1927, also is noted on the bottom of the piece.</p><p>The military service members and veterans receiving the coin will graduate from APSU on Friday, Dec. 9.</p>Thu, 01 Dec 2016 18:19:24 +0000harriscj136350 at http://www.apsu.eduAustin Peay professor Scanlan named editor-in-chief of Clinical Laboratory Science, the flagship journal for American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciencehttp://www.apsu.edu/news/austin-peay-professor-scanlan-named-editor-chief-clinical-laboratory-science-flagship-journal-a
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Scanlan_small.jpg" width="420" height="600" /></p><p></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. —&nbsp;Dr. Perry Scanlan, Austin Peay State University professor of allied health sciences, was appointed by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) as editor-in-chief of Clinical Laboratory Science, the flagship peer-reviewed journal of the ASCLS. He will begin his term starting in January 2017.</p><p>Scanlan, who is also director of Austin Peay’s Medical Laboratory Science Program, is president-elect for the organization’s Tennessee chapter, and served on the editorial board for Clinical Laboratory Science, before being named the journal’s new EIC. His term will continue through December 2019.</p><p>“It’s quite an honor for ASCLS to appoint me as the editor-in-chief of Clinical Laboratory Science,” Scanlan said. “It is a culmination of a lot of previous work with the Journal as an editor, as well as the respect I’ve received from my peers that they feel I can lead the journal and have a real impact in driving the research being published in this field.</p><p>“In my field, I work alongside researchers from major medical universities such as Vanderbilt and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, so this appointment as EIC says a lot about the work and service we are doing at Austin Peay State University. ”</p><p>As EIC, Scanlan said some of his goals are to guide the Clinical Laboratory Science Journal in its transition into online publishing, as well as emphasizing research and scholarly publications as a way to increasing awareness of the importance of medical laboratory science.</p><p>“We are transitioning to online publishing and using that space to improve the quality of our journal through colorful images, videos, and supplements that can share our important work with the rest of the world,” Scanlan said. “But the biggest thing for our profession is highlighting our contributions to the medical community. Medical laboratory scientists and technicians play a vital role in providing and improving patient care. &nbsp;</p><p>“Being an ambassador and making scholarly contributions makes the medical laboratory science &nbsp;field more visible and highlights our contributions to medicine and are a big part of why we publish this journal.”</p><p>Prior to accepting his current role, Scanlan has served the organization in numerous capacities over the years, including two previous terms as a clinical practice section editor for the journal, and as president and board member for ASCLS-TN over the past 10 years. &nbsp;</p><p>Earlier this summer, he was one of the recipients of the ASCLS’s prestigious Voices Under 40 award. The award was developed to honor ASCLS members under the age of 40 who have shown exceptional commitment to the organization, the laboratory profession and their community.</p><p>For more information on APSU’s Medical Laboratory Science Program, visit the website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apsu.edu/medical-technology">https://www.apsu.edu/medical-technology</a>.</p>Behavioral and Health SciencesWed, 30 Nov 2016 18:21:00 +0000harriscj136336 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU's Christmas with David Steinquest and Friends returns this Fridayhttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsus-christmas-david-steinquest-and-friends-returns-friday
<p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – This Friday, David Steinquest, Austin Peay State University professor of music, plans to hang out in the living room with a couple hundred of his closest friends. The living room, featuring couches and comfy chairs, will be set up on the stage of the campus’ Mabry Concert Hall, and it’s where the APSU Department of Music will host its annual Christmas with David Steinquest and Friends concert at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 2.</p><p>The concert will feature a band made up of Steinquest’s favorite musicians – guitarist Paul Binkley, piano player Kevin Madill, drummer Matt DeVore, base player Larry Crew and vocalists Allison Steinquest and David Alford. Binkley formerly played with the country music group Alabama, and Alford plays Bucky Dawes on the popular TV show “Nashville.”&nbsp;</p><p>“The concert includes Christmas standards like ‘My Favorite Things,’ ‘Go Tell It On the Mountain’ and ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,’” Steinquest said. “However, the tunes are dressed up in unusual and innovative arrangements that give them new life. This year’s show is influenced by Mary J. Blige, James Taylor, Shawn Colvin, India.Arie, Drew Holcombe and the Neighbors, Sara Groves, Holly Cole, Jon McLaughlin, Sara Bareilles and Family Force 5.”</p><p>&nbsp;Erin Binkley will also perform “The Christmas Pageant,” a monologue from the show “Christmas Down Home.”</p><p>Admission to Friday’s concert is two cans of food, which will be donated to Loaves and Fishes, or $5. For ticket information call 221-7818.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -30-</p>Wed, 30 Nov 2016 16:32:41 +0000boothcw136331 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU's Acuff Circle seeking nominations for Ovation Awardshttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsus-acuff-circle-seeking-nominations-ovation-awards
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/2012-13_Acuff_Circle_brochure_copy.jpg" width="451" height="419" /></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The coveted Acuff Circle of Excellence Ovation Awards in the arts will be presented March 5, 2017, but nominations already are being sought.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Circle, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Austin Peay State University Foundation, is a patron society of the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts. The awards have been presented since 1996.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The nominees must have made significant contributions to the artistic and cultural life of the Clarksville-Montgomery County community. Anyone can submit nominations. Nominations will be accepted now through Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2017</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The award categories in which nominations are sought are:</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Individual Artist:</b> A living Tennessee artist, active in the field of literature, visual arts, performing arts, music, folk arts, architecture or design, who lives or lived in Montgomery County. Past winners include Susan Bryant, Charlotte Marshall, Mike Fink, Tom Rice, Mike Andrews, Billy St. John and Debbie Wilson.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Community</b>: A Clarksville-Montgomery County community organization or institution with an outstanding arts-based community program or project. Schools and the school district are not eligible in this category. Previous winners include the Downtown Clarksville Association, Roxy Regional Theatre, Empty Bowls of Clarksville, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Downtown Artists Co-Op. and Madison Street Music &amp; Arts Academy.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Business</b>: A business or corporation that has made a significant contribution to support arts and culture in Montgomery County. Government agencies are not eligible. Past winners include F&amp;M Bank, Silke's Olde World Breads, The Leaf-Chronicle, Beachaven Vineyards and Winery, The Framemaker, Planters Bank and Richview Family Dentistry.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <b>Young Artist:</b> A high school senior in Clarksville-Montgomery County who has shown exceptional gifts through student or community performances, exhibitions or publications. Category awards are visual arts, theatre, instrumental music, vocal performance and creative writing. Winners in each category also receive preference when applying for the annual $1,000 endowed scholarship in the arts, which the Acuff Circle has established at Austin Peay.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Past Young Artist winners include Webb Booth, Elizabeth Coleman, Autumn Crofton, Haedyn King and Hugh Poland with the Roxy School of the Arts; Abigail Elmore, Northwest High School; Elizabeth Bell, Kenwood; Brittney Griffin, Montgomery Central; Clare Grady, Clarksville; Will Silvers, West Creek; Jeremy Carey, Northeast; Kayleigh Baird, Montgomery Central; Amy Wyer, West Creek; Terrell Boykin, Kenwood; Arizona Hurn, Montgomery Central; Jacob Capps, Montgomery Central; Jonathan Weidner, Rossview; Mercedes Johnnson, Northeast; and Brandon Crite, West Creek.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deadline for nominations in the Young Artist category is Dec. 16, 2016.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Ovation Awards also include<b> The George Mabry Award</b>. Nominees for this honor come from the Acuff Circle board. It recognizes a living Tennessean who has made a significant impact on arts and culture in Montgomery County through philanthropy, leadership or direct involvement, or a Tennessee individual who has advanced arts and culture through innovative work in creating or supporting the arts in Montgomery County. Past winners include Frank Lott, Anne Glass, Olen Bryant, David Alford, Joseph B. Trahern Jr., Joe Giles and Wade Bourne.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; To nominate someone in the Individual, Community, Business or Young Artist categories, submit a completed nomination form that can be downloaded at <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/creativearts/ovation">www.apsu.edu/creativearts/ovation</a>.&nbsp; Forms for the Individual, Community or Business categories also can be obtained at the Customs House Museum, which co-sponsors the awards ceremony; the Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library, or the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The nomination should include a description of up to 250 words of the individual's or organization's artistic contributions. Nominations can be emailed to <a href="mailto:cannonm@apsu.edu">cannonm@apsu.edu</a> at the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, or mailed to Ovation Awards, Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, Austin Peay State University, Box 4666, Clarksville, TN 37044.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For more information on the nomination process or the Ovation Awards, contact the Center at (931) 221-7876.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -30-</p>Wed, 30 Nov 2016 14:41:07 +0000boothcw136327 at http://www.apsu.eduAustin Peay State University releases official fall 2016 enrollment figureshttp://www.apsu.edu/news/austin-peay-state-university-releases-official-fall-2016-enrollment-figures
<p><span style="font-size: 1em;"><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/2016FreshmanPhotoFINAL_1.jpg" width="600" height="350" /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 1em;">CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Austin Peay State University’s total fall 2016 enrollment is up from last year, and its 10,344 students represent the highest total since 2013, according to its recently released official enrollment figures.</span></p><p>Officials report Austin Peay also welcomed its largest group of first-time college students in recent history, with 1,963 freshmen students. This marks a 26.3 percent increase from 2015, and is an increase of 26.6 percent over the last five years.</p><p>Among Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions, Austin Peay is one of two universities to report an increase in overall enrollment for the fall 2016 semester. Enrollment numbers are determined on students enrolled through the end of the 14<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;day of classes.</p><p>“This year’s enrollment numbers validate our efforts to expand our University’s reach, while continuing to meet the needs of Middle Tennessee,” Austin Peay President Dr. Alisa White said. “Making sure that we recruit and retain quality students is a major part of the University’s Leading Through Excellence Strategic Plan, and these numbers are a good first step as we work to educate a growing number of our citizens.”</p>tbrTue, 29 Nov 2016 20:15:56 +0000harriscj136316 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU history class looks at artifacts of daily life in Tennesseehttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-history-class-looks-artifacts-daily-life-tennessee
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/scrollherzlich.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – In the early 1860s, a distraught Queen Victoria asked members of her royal court to stop wearing lavish jewelry. Her husband, Prince Albert, had just died, and the sight of such opulence offended the mourning queen. In the months that followed, England’s aristocracy began dressing in black, and to stay in the monarch’s good graces, they adorned themselves in the less flashy marcasite jewelry. In that moment, a fashion trend was born.</p><p>Earlier this semester, a group of Austin Peay State University undergraduates discovered the fascinating histories surrounding familiar objects—such as marcasite jewelry or antique shaving razors—thanks to an innovative Tennessee history course that requires students to look inquisitively at local artifacts. Deanna Carter, APSU history instructor, developed the class thanks to a grant from the University’s Learning Opportunities Center. The grant program was designed to provide APSU students with high impact learning opportunities.</p><p>“Using this grant, I bought a bunch of artifacts,” Carter said. “We went to antique stores from Memphis to Gatlinburg, looking for small items, handheld items, that a typical Tennessean would have seen or used in the past.”</p><p>Instead of writing a research paper on a famous Tennessean, Carter’s students investigated their items and were then asked to develop a museum-style exhibit describing the piece. An exhibition of the artifacts, along with the students’ research, is now on display in the Jenkins Gallery, on the third floor of the Morgan University Center.</p><p>“It’s an interactive exhibit,” Carter said. “Each item is assigned a number. When you go, you dial in this number (on your cell phone), and you will hear that student’s voice give information on their research.”</p><p>APSU student Jamie Hotchkin was given a small cameo for the project, and after hours of diligent research, she learned, according to her exhibit recording, that “the broche was originally worn by elites as a sign of status of wealth and class, but as it became easier to produce, it became cheaper and most women in Tennessee could afford them.” Hotchkin was also able to determine the type of shell used in the cameo’s design and, thanks to the type of clasp on the back, that it was produced sometime after 1910.</p><p>“I was delighted by the level of research she brought to the project,” Carter said.</p><p>She has taught this class for a few semesters, and this year, Carter wanted her students to delve a little deeper into their projects. One afternoon, while contemplating how to enrich her class, she bumped into Elliott Herzlich, a local jeweler who also happens to be married to Dr. Alisa White, APSU president.</p><p>“I knew Elliott was a jeweler, very knowledge about a lot of stuff, and also a collector of things and very interested in history,” Carter said. “I asked if he would be interested in coming and helping. Elliott, being the kind person he is, said, ‘I have a box of stuff I’ll loan you from my collection.’”</p><p>One afternoon in October, Herzlich arrived in Carter’s class with several antique items—including marcasite jewelry and Hotchkin’s cameo—and about 35 jeweler's loupes. The students quickly went to work, putting the loupes to their eyes to see what they could find on their artifacts. They scanned engraved napkin rings, old coins and military pins, looking for identifying marks, such as serial numbers.</p><p>“They got a chance to play with the items, touch them, learn from them,” Herzlich said. “The skills they’re learning from this, they should be able now to research anything that comes across their path. And I had a lot of fun with it. I was thrilled to work with Deanna, and I got a chance to interact with students, which I love.”</p><p>On Nov. 15, a small crowd gathered in the Jenkins Gallery for the opening of the exhibit. Carter smiled, as she always does, while introducing Herzlich and her students. She has long been a staple of the APSU Department of History and Philosophy, as both a graduate student and later as an instructor. As she surveyed the crowd in front of her, she wondered briefly what would happen with the class next year. Carter is leaving the University in December for health reasons.</p><p>“This is my swan song, but I’ve been told the show will go on,” she said. “I’m holding out to the end of the semester for my students, but we have two people in the history department interested in taking over these projects.”</p><p>Carter said she hopes to come to campus occasionally in the coming years to help with the class. Herzlich said if she ever needed transportation to the University, he’d drive and pick her up.</p>Tue, 22 Nov 2016 21:02:19 +0000boothcw136254 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU's Kevin Harris investigates how to create expert teamshttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsus-kevin-harris-investigates-how-create-expert-teams
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/harrisscroll.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – On a warm, May afternoon in 2012, Australian tennis star Samuel Groth stunned spectators at the Busan Open when he delivered a 163 mph serve—the fastest serve in the history of that sport. A grainy YouTube video from that day shows Groth’s opponent, Belarusian Uladzimir Ignatik, flailing in his unsuccessful attempt to connect with the ball. Ignatik looks like an amateur facing off against a seasoned pro, but that’s an unfair analogy. Even at slower speeds, returning a professional tennis serve is one of the most difficult feats in all of sports. The ability to hit back a high-speed serve is often what separates the novices from the stars, but scientists recently uncovered a trick that is helping scores of young athletes with their game. The advice? Don’t look at the ball.</p><p>“Recent research using eye tracking showed that the top tennis players in the world look at the lower torso of their opponent to successfully return a serve,” Dr. Kevin Harris, Austin Peay State University associate professor of psychology, said.</p><p>When a group of tennis players was trained to look at the lower torso of their opponent, mimicking what stars of the sport do unconsciously, they successfully returned more serves than a control group that focused on the ball. This is the type of discovery that fascinates Harris. Throughout his career, the APSU professor has looked for the hidden secrets that allow experts to perform at the highest levels. While a graduate student at Florida State University, Harris studied under renowned psychologist K. Anders Ericsson, who’s work in this area was highlighted by Malcolm Gladwell in his best-selling 2008 book, “Outliers: The Story of Success.”</p><p>Ericcsson, as Gladwell points out, discovered that “world-class” musicians, such as Mozart, aen’t innately gifted, they simply “worked much, much harder.” Ericcson’s research helped transform the way people think of talented individuals—musicians, tennis players—and now Harris is expanding upon that work in the field of deliberate practice to discover how teams of people can become expert teams.</p><p>This summer, Harris’s scholarly article, “Team Deliberate Practice in Medicine and Related Domains: A Consideration of the Issues,” appeared in the scientific journal, “Advances in Health Sciences Education,” and now researchers across the globe are discussing his findings. The article was added to the Clinical Human Factors Group website and recently promoted by Martin Bromiley, a champion of improving healthcare at the system level. Bromiley’s own case is featured in Matthew Syed’s new book, “Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success.” Syed is also the best-selling author of “Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham and the Science of Success.” Following the article’s publication, Harris was also asked to contribute a chapter on his research to the prestigious “Oxford Handbook of Expertise.”</p><p>“Dr. Harris is building a national reputation as extending Dr. Ericcson’s work to the medical field,” Dr. David Denton, dean of the APSU College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, said.</p><p>In his article, Harris points out that poor teamwork in medical situations, such as in an operating room, “is a key cause of preventable errors in healthcare.”</p><p>“If there are seven members on a team, what can be done where everybody is on the same page?” Harris said. “We identified what would be important to allow that to develop. What are the obstacles?”</p><p>His research led him to develop three guiding principals that teams can follow to allow its members to function, collectively, at the highest level. These principals include “prolonged engagement in increasingly difficult deliberate practice,” rehearsing activities that are proven to enhance performance, and developing a training system that has “clear, objective, and quantifiable measures of performance and improvements in it.” His paper also encourages teams to practice actionable ways to overcome obstacles inherent in team performance, such as getting interrupted in their tasks, so they’ll be able to handle similar situations in the future, and for members to undergo assertiveness training so that lower ranked members of a team feel confident in providing important information to the team’s leaders.</p><p>Harris’ work focuses on team deliberate practice in medicine, but it also offers a framework for anyone working on a team. Shortly after the paper’s publication, Harris discussed its principles with an individual in Oklahoma, interested in training teams of oil field workers.</p><p>His hope is that his research, which took several years to develop, will help build expert teams, ultimately lowering the number of medical errors.</p><p>“That’s one of the things when you wake up in the morning or go to bed at night, you’re like, ‘wow this is real,’” he said. “At one point it was just things I was thinking about. But we know from individual deliberate practice research that this saves lives.”</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -30-</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>Mon, 21 Nov 2016 19:16:46 +0000boothcw136232 at http://www.apsu.eduAustin Peay Army ROTC to honor memory of 1st Lt. Kip Stevens with ceremony, induction on Nov. 17http://www.apsu.edu/news/austin-peay-army-rotc-honor-memory-1st-lt-kip-stevens-ceremony-induction-nov-17
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/kip_stevens.png" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Austin Peay State University’s Governors Guard ROTC detachment prides itself on teaching young men and women to become officers and leaders; soldiers who continually do what is necessary to achieve success on every mission – in the classroom, in training in the field and on the field of battle.</p><p>On Thursday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. at the Memorial Health Building on the University campus, the Austin Peay ROTC program will honor the memory of one of its graduates who died in the service of his country, 1<sup>st</sup> Lt. Kip Stevens, with a special ceremony, followed by his induction into the Austin Peay ROTC Wall of Fame.</p><p>Stevens was a model of what Governors Guard cadets strive to achieve. Born at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and a 1977 graduate of Northwest High School in Clarksville, Stevens served both stateside and overseas as an enlisted soldier before attending Austin Peay on an Army ROTC scholarship in 1981. While attending Austin Peay, he was a member of the Tennessee Eta Tau Chapter, Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, the Inter-Fraternity Council and the Student Government Association. A charter member of the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society, Stevens was also a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society. In Army ROTC, Stevens served as S-1 and as executive officer during his senior year.</p><p>Upon graduation in June 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in French, Stevens was commissioned on active duty as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps.</p><p>As an officer, Stevens attended Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, from July 1984 to January 1985. He was then assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, <span>2</span><span>nd&nbsp;</span>Battalion, 502<sup>nd</sup> Infantry Regiment, <span>2</span><span>nd</span>&nbsp;Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. From there, he would deploy with Task Force 3-502<sup>nd</sup> (Multinational Force and Observers) to the Sinai Peninsula.&nbsp; He was promoted to first lieutenant shortly before his death.</p><p>During their return flight on Dec. 12, 1985, all 248 soldiers of Task Force 3-502<sup>nd</sup> on Arrow Air, including Stevens, were killed in a plane crash in Gander, Newfoundland. He is buried at Fort Donelson National Cemetery, Dover, Tennessee.</p><p>For more information about the Austin Peay ROTC program, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/rotc">www.apsu.edu/rotc</a>.</p>Tue, 15 Nov 2016 20:21:53 +0000harriscj136129 at http://www.apsu.edu22nd annual Bread and Words reading set for Nov. 21http://www.apsu.edu/news/22nd-annual-bread-and-words-reading-set-nov-21
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Bread-and-Words-2016-0576.jpg" width="650" height="450" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — To help usher in the Thanksgiving holiday, the Austin Peay State University Department of Languages and Literature will host the 22nd annual Bread and Words Benefit to raise public awareness of hunger in the local community.</p><p>The event takes place Nov. 21 in the Morgan University Center Ballroom on the University campus. A meal of homemade soups and bread, prepared by faculty members in the Austin Peay Department of Languages and Literature, will be served at 6 p.m., followed by a reading at 7 p.m.</p><p>A recommended donation of $5 is requested at the door. All proceeds will go to the Austin Peay Save Our Students (S.O.S.) Food Pantry, which supports students and staff members in need.</p><p>This year’s readers are Ben Caldwell and James Tyler, graduate students in the department of Languages &amp; Literature; Stephanie Bryant, Rachel Chaffin, and Deidra Sloss, undergraduate students in the creative writing program; and Andrea Spofford, associate professor of English.</p><p>For more information about the benefit, contact Barry Kitterman in the APSU Center for Excellence for the Creative Arts at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kittermanb@apsu.edu">kittermanb@apsu.edu</a>.</p>African American StudiesCenter of Excellence for Creative Arts Tue, 15 Nov 2016 20:13:10 +0000harriscj136128 at http://www.apsu.eduDepartment of Music’s Seventh Annual Holiday Dinner is Dec. 2 and 3http://www.apsu.edu/news/department-music%E2%80%99s-seventh-annual-holiday-dinner-dec-2-and-3
<p><span style="font-size: 1em;"><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/hol_dinn.JPG" height="400" width="600" /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 1em;">CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — A popular holiday tradition returns to the campus of Austin Peay State University on the evenings of Dec. 2 and 3 as the University’s choral program hosts the Austin Peay Department of Music’s Seventh Annual Holiday Dinner.</span></p><p>Tickets for the dinner are $70. For more information, to purchase tickets or to RSVP before Nov. 30, contact Dr. Korre Foster, director of choral activities at Austin Peay, at 931-221-7002 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:fosterk@apsu.edu">fosterk@apsu.edu</a>.</p><p>Hundreds of people are expected to gather in the Morgan University Center Ballroom on the Austin Peay campus for a fun, formal dinner that showcases the choral ensembles and includes a diverse collaboration of musicians celebrating the Holiday season.</p><p>While attendees enjoy a salad and the choice of chicken pot pie, beef burgundy, tilapia or stuffed red peppers for a dinner entrée, the University’s choral ensembles and instrumentalists will perform an array of traditional and international holiday songs.</p><p>“We have several collaborations this year. Along with the choirs our guests will hear harp, flute, violin and cello, and this is all in addition to an appearance by the Governor’s Own Marching Band,” Foster said.</p><p>Each year, the MUC Ballroom is decorated by Austin Peay students to fit the theme of the holiday concert. This year’s event is titled “Holiday Dinner Goes Medieval.”</p><p>“Patrons who appreciated the Harry Potter movies will be particularly impressed,” Foster said.</p><p>Austin Peay University Choir and Chamber Singers will perform choral music of well-known composers such as Benjamin Britten, René Clausen, Howard Hanson, John Rutter and Claudio Monteverdi. Some of the holiday classics patrons will be treated to include “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Silent Night” and “Go, Tell It On the Mountain.”</p><p>“Creating a new holiday dinner every year is very fun,” Foster said. “Patrons have always enjoyed our themes, decorations, singers, and how dessert is usually paired with a song.”</p><p>For more information on the Austin Peay Department of Music, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/music" title="www.apsu.edu/music">www.apsu.edu/music</a>.</p>MusicMon, 14 Nov 2016 21:06:19 +0000harriscj136111 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU Opera Workshop to perform “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” on Nov. 20 http://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-opera-workshop-perform-%E2%80%9Cbrush-your-shakespeare%E2%80%9D-nov-20
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Brush_Up_Your_Shakespeare_Poster.jpg" width="388" height="600" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — The Austin Peay State University Opera Workshop will explore the diverse works of one of history’s greatest playwrights, William Shakespeare, as it presents “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” on Sunday, Nov. 20.</p><p>The curtain rises at 3 p.m., in the Mabry Concert Hall, located inside the Music/Mass Communication Building on the University campus. The show is free and open to the public.</p><p>A series of selections from Shakespearian dramas and comedies, including “Macbeth,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Hamlet” and modern interpretations including “West Side Story” and “Kiss Me, Kate,” “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” sees Austin Peay Opera Workshop students performing arias, duets and scenes from over 12 productions. With selections performed in either English, Italian, French or German, Austin Peay students will have the opportunity to perform classic works in ways that test and grow their abilities.</p><p>A non-audition class, the Opera Workshop is open to students of all backgrounds and experience levels, as well as students from outside the Department of Music. Because of the wide range of talent levels on display, audience members will be able to enjoy veteran performers sharing the stage with young students – including some making their first outing at Austin Peay.</p><p>“Opera Workshop is an opportunity for students of all experience levels to get an opportunity to perform on stage,” Lisa Conklin-Bishop, director of opera theatre at Austin Peay, said. “This workshop gives them an opportunity that they might not get at other places, and it allows audience members to get to know more of the talented performers at Austin Peay.”</p><p>Joining Austin Peay students in the production of “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” are Conklin-Bishop, who serves as director and conductor, as well as vocal coach and emcee, Austin Peay professor of music, voice, Dr. Jeffrey Williams. Local musician Nylene Douglas will also accompany the performers on piano.</p><p>For more information on the show, contact the APSU music department at 931-221-7818.</p>Arts and LettersMusicFri, 11 Nov 2016 19:59:46 +0000harriscj136076 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Anything Goes” Nov. 16-20http://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-department-theatre-and-dance-presents-%E2%80%9Canything-goes%E2%80%9D-nov-16-20
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/AnythingGoes_Poster.png" width="388" height="600" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — It is not exactly like the old joke about three opposite personalities that all walk into a bar, but anything – and everything – goes when a brassy nightclub singer, a starry-eyed stowaway and a wanted man all find their way onto a transatlantic luxury liner during the Austin Peay State University’s&nbsp;Department of Theatre and Dance’s presentation of “Anything Goes” this Nov. 16-20.</p><p>The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. for performances on Nov. 16-19, with an additional showing Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. Admission for all performances is $10 for seniors, children, military and students and $15 for the general public.</p><p>“Anything Goes”&nbsp;is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, based off of a book by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The play is set aboard the ocean liner S.S. American, where nightclub singer Reno Sweeney is en route from New York to England. Meanwhile, Sweeny’s friend, Billy Crocker has stowed away to be near his love, Hope Harcourt. When Hope reveals she is already engaged to the wealthy Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, the love-struck yet determined Billy works to win Hope’s affections with the help of a gangster on the run, Moonface Martin and his partner Bonnie.</p><p>First performed in 1934 at the Alvin Theater on Broadway, the show features classic songs such as “You’re the Top,” “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “It’s De-Lovely.”</p><p>“If I had to describe this production in one word, I’d say that it’s just ‘fun’,” Dr. Christopher Bailey, Austin Peay associate professor of musical theatre and voice, said. “There are thieves, fools, scoundrels, lovers…there’s tap dancing, there’s jazz and everything is scored by a wonderful orchestra. The stakes aren’t high in this production, and the audience is able to just enjoy a classic, golden age musical.”</p><p>Bailey said “Anything Goes” was partially chosen for the department’s second Fall 2016 production in an effort to give students an education on the history of musical theatre.</p><p>“A lot of our students now are very familiar with productions like ‘Wicked’ or ‘Shrek,’ but those shows did not happen in a vacuum,” Bailey, who is directing the production, said. “We strive to be a professional theatre, but we’re also an educational theatre first and foremost, so a production like ‘Anything Goes’ that debuted in the 1930s is a way to really make our students aware of the tradition of American musical theatre.”</p><p>For the production’s Friday, Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19, performances, the Department of Theatre and Dance has partnered with the Austin Peay Office of Disability Services to provide a team of five American Sign Language interpreters who will translate the performance for the hearing-impaired.</p><p>“The deaf community is experiencing a surge right now in the popularity of musical theatre and we want to answer the call and be a part of that here at Austin Peay,” Bailey said.</p><p>For more information, contact the APSU box office at 931-221-7379 or email at&nbsp;boxoffice@apsu.edu. Tickets can also be purchased at&nbsp;www.apsu.edu/theatre-dance/online-ticketing/system.</p>Theatre & DanceFri, 11 Nov 2016 18:21:48 +0000harriscj136075 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU unveils new curated photography exhibitionhttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-unveils-new-curated-photography-exhibition
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/photography_copy.jpg" width="388" height="600" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – This November, the Austin Peay State University Department of Art and Design will unveil its newest exhibition, Topography: Exploring Dimensionality in the Jim and Nan Robertson Photography Collection. The exhibition, curated by Jewel Birdsong Scholarship and Presidential Scholarship recipient Sara Straussberger, will be on display from Nov. 10-March 2017 in the Harned Building’s Mabel Larson Gallery.</p><p>A reception and brief curator’s talk will take place at 3:30 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 10, in the gallery. This event is free and open to the public,</p><p>This new exhibit showcases the wide range of subjects and formal qualities found in the Jim and Nan Robertson Photography Collection at APSU. The subject matter ranges from the undulating shapes of sand dunes to the contours of the human figure to rich architectural surfaces. The formal qualities include detailed visual textures, from peeling paint to smooth metal silos, along with visual and implied lines, strong value ranges and crisp print quality.</p><p>The Jim and Nan Robertson Photography Collection consists of more than 350 images made by 19<sup>th</sup> and 20<sup>th</sup> century photographers. Originally displayed in the Robertson’s 5th Avenue Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, between 1979–1981, these photographs were generously donated to the APSU Permanent Art Collection shortly after the couple relocated to nearby Dover.</p><p>Straussberger is a BFA student in the Department of Art and Design and a philosophical studies minor. The Jewel Birdsong Scholarship is a curatorial scholarship that lets a select student work directly with the APSU Permanent Art Collection to curate and install a dynamic and engaging exhibition in the Mabel Larson Gallery.</p><p>The Mabel Larson Gallery, located on the bottom floor of Harned Hall, is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information on this event or the University Art Collection, contact Michael Dickins, gallery director, at <a href="mailto:dickinsm@apsu.edu">dickinsm@apsu.edu</a>.</p>Wed, 09 Nov 2016 15:35:20 +0000boothcw136026 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU's Zeta Phi Beta chapter leads state in servicehttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsus-zeta-phi-beta-chapter-leads-state-service
<p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Austin Peay State University undergraduate chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., an international non-profit community service sorority, was recognized last month as being the number one collegiate chapter in Tennessee for community service activities. The designation came during the sorority’s Tennessee Leadership Conference, held in Nashville on Oct. 28 and 29.</p><p>“I am very proud of this wonderful group of young ladies, and their work to support the community in a variety of ways really speaks to who we are as Zeta women, and what we were founded on as an organization,” Sheila Bryant, on-campus adviser for the chapter, said.</p><p>Alumni and undergraduate chapters from all over the state met in Nashville last month for the conference, where they participated in workshops and service activities related to the charge of the sorority. The APSU chapter, Gamma Nu, was recognized for its service work during the annual service awards luncheon.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“These young ladies diligently seek ways to help others, not only in the APSU community, but Clarksville as well,” Allyson Johnson, the chapter’s graduate chapter advisor, said. “They truly exemplify our founding principles.”</p><p>Five co-ed students at Howard University, who envisioned a sorority that would promote the highest standard of scholastic achievement and finer womanhood, founded Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., on Jan. 16, 1920. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. has a diverse membership of more than 120,000 college-educated women with more than 1,000 chapters in North America, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East.</p><p>For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.zphib1920.org">www.zphib1920.org</a> or contact Kianna Marshall, president of APSU’s Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., at <a href="mailto:greeks@apsu.edu">greeks@apsu.edu</a>. Additional information on the local undergraduate chapter is available at <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/greek-life/zeta-phi-beta-sorority-inc">http://www.apsu.edu/greek-life/zeta-phi-beta-sorority-inc</a>.&nbsp;</p>Mon, 07 Nov 2016 16:24:22 +0000boothcw135978 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU welcomes internationally recognized artist Lalla Essaydihttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-welcomes-internationally-recognized-artist-lalla-essaydi
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/essaydi.jpeg" width="600" height="464" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Austin Peay State University Department of Art and Design, with support from the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, will welcome internationally recognized artist Lalla Essaydi to campus for a visiting artist lecture at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 in Trahern 401. Essaydi’s lecture will conclude the fall portion of the department’s Visiting Artist Speaker Series.</p><p>Essaydi grew up in Morocco and lived for many years in Saudi Arabia. She attended classes at l’ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and then received her B.F.A. from Tufts University in Massachusetts. In 2003, she earned her M.F.A. from the Boston School of the Museum of Fine Arts. She currently works and resides in the United States and Morocco.</p><p>Her art, which often combines Islamic calligraphy with representations of the female form, addresses the complex reality of Arab female identity from the unique perspective of personal experience. Essaydi has presented her vision through numerous media, including painting, video, film, installation and analog photography.&nbsp;</p><p>“In my art, I wish to present myself through multiple lenses—as artist, as Moroccan, as traditionalist, as Liberal, as Muslim,” she said. “In short, I invite viewers to resist stereotypes.”</p><p>Essaydi’s work is represented by Schneider Gallery in Chicago, by Howard Yezerski Gallery in Boston, by Edwynn Hook Gallery in New York City and by October Gallery in London. Her work has been exhibited around the world and is represented in a number of collections, including The Louvre Museum, Paris, France; The British National Museum, London; The Harvard Art Museum, Cambridge, Massachusetts; The Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge; The RISD Museum of Art, Rhode Island; and The Art Institute of Chicago.</p><p>With support from the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, all Art and Design events are free and open to the public.</p><p>For more information on this lecture, contact Michael Dickins, gallery director, at <a href="mailto:dickinsm@apsu.edu">dickinsm@apsu.edu</a>.</p>Fri, 04 Nov 2016 20:33:26 +0000boothcw135951 at http://www.apsu.eduRetired professor Scott publishes update to landmark guide of Land Between the Lakes reptile, amphibian lifehttp://www.apsu.edu/news/retired-professor-scott-publishes-update-landmark-guide-land-between-lakes-reptile-amphibian-li
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/20161104-Floyd-Scott-9536.jpg" width="625" height="425" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — In the mid-1960s, Austin Peay State University professor of biology Dr. David Snyder began work on a monumental task. Commissioned by the Tennessee Valley Authority to conduct an inventory of the herpetofauna, or reptiles and amphibians, of the newly established Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Snyder and a small team of researchers and students set about cataloguing the various species contained within the 170,000-acre plot of land crossing the Tennessee and Kentucky border.</p><p>Years of research culminated in the 1972 publishing of “Amphibians and Reptiles of Land Between the Lakes.” Until the book went out of print, Snyder’s work served as the main source of information on the diverse reptile and amphibian life contained within the LBL region.</p><p>Retired Austin Peay professor Dr. Floyd Scott knows all too well the work that went into Snyder’s landmark publication. As an undergraduate student, he served as a member of Snyder’s survey team as they attempted to define the previously unexplored land.</p><p>“When I was an undergraduate, we would go out and spend all day and all night working in the LBL region,” Scott said. “Along with Dr. Snyder and several other students, we went up and down the roads of that area, working in the woods and around the streams, just trying to catalog all of the reptiles and amphibians we came across.”</p><p>Snyder died in 2004, having served the Austin Peay community for over 40 years as an educator, researcher and community member. Before his death, however, Scott said his mentor and research partner had planned to finish one more monumental task — an update to his seminal guide to the reptiles and amphibians of the LBL region.</p><p>“A couple of years before Dr. Snyder died, we had made a verbal pact to update that book,” Scott said. “When he died unexpectedly, progress on the book slowed, but I was determined to fulfill that promise I made to him one way or another.”</p><p>Enlisting the aid of Murray State University emeritus professor of biological sciences Dr. Edmund J. Zimmerer and David Frymire, a field researcher for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Scott found a way to fulfill that promise. Using Snyder’s original work as a base, the team set about updating information, snapping full-color photographs and more significantly, cataloguing new species found in the region that were not detected during Snyder’s original survey.</p><p>Bearing the same name as its original publication, “Amphibians and Reptiles of Land Between the Lakes” was published in early September through University Press of Kentucky. As a tribute to his original effort four decades earlier, the book counts Snyder as a co-author and bears his name on both its cover and spine.</p><p>Of the 75 varieties of reptiles and amphibians catalogued in the guide, Scott said he and his team were able to discover four not previously found during the original survey. But as for major differences found some 40 years between surveys, Scott said the biggest chances can be seen in the LBL region itself.</p><p>“I think the landscape has been the bigger difference between surveys, because so much has changed since conversion from private to public land,” Scott said. “The reptile and amphibian life hasn’t changed too much, but there has been a lot of logging done in that region. We also observed areas that were open during the first survey that have since grown into forests over the last 40 years.”</p><p>Scott and his collaborators’ update to the guide is, first and foremost, an offering to anyone, whether a professional or backyard naturalist, interested in the animal life of the LBL region. Written without the footnotes and citations of academic guides, the reference manual was designed to give people of all knowledge levels a resource for understanding the region’s creatures.</p><p>But personally, Scott’s update to his friend and mentor’s original work represents the fulfillment of a promise. Owing much of his own academic and research careers to Snyder’s guidance, Scott said there was no choice but to complete what has now come to represent several lifetimes’ worth of research.</p><p>“Dr. Dave Snyder was here at Austin Peay for a long time and he served as a mentor to a lot of students during his time, myself included” Scott said. “I felt like it was important that I, with the help of Zimmerer and Frymire, see this to fruition as a tribute to the pioneering work he conducted in that area in the 1960s.”</p><p>“Amphibians and Reptiles of Land Between the Lakes,” was partially funded by the Austin Peay Center of Excellence for Field Biology, and is available on Amazon.com, as well as many other online retailers.</p><p>For more information on the Austin Peay Department of Biology, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/biology">http://www.apsu.edu/biology</a>. To learn more about the Austin Peay Center of Excellence for Field Biology, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/field-biology. " title="http://www.apsu.edu/field-biology. ">http://www.apsu.edu/field-biology. </a></p><p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Snyder_David_1998.jpg" width="560" height="500" /></p><p><em>- Former Austin Peay professor of biology Dr. David Snyder (Submitted)</em></p>BiologyCenter for Field BiologyFri, 04 Nov 2016 20:20:17 +0000harriscj135950 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU communication students’ films recognized during TCA annual conferencehttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-communication-students%E2%80%99-films-recognized-during-tca-annual-conference
<p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Austin Peay State University Department of Communication students were recently honored for their work at the 2016 Tennessee Communication Association Student Film Showcase, held during the TCA’s annual conference in Dickson, Tennessee, in September.</p><p>Over three hours of content was submitted for the TCA Student Films Showcase, including short films, commercials and documentaries covering a wide range of subjects. Ultimately, the showcase was limited to the best two hours of student-produced content.</p><p>Of the nine films selected for the documentaries portion of the showcase, five were produced by Austin Peay students. The following videos were created in Austin Peay assistant professor Karen Bullis’ video production courses during the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 semesters:</p><ul><li>“Jean Anhalt”</li></ul><p><em>Produced, directed and edited by Jack Anhalt</em></p><ul><li>“Cosplay Artist”</li></ul><p><em>Produced, directed and edited by Auburn Lannom</em></p><ul><li>“A Hidden Life”</li></ul><p><em>Produced, directed and edited by Melissa Arrington</em></p><ul><li>“WAPX 91.9 FM”</li></ul><p><em>Produced, directed and edited by William Jones</em></p><ul><li>“Cumberland River Flood”</li></ul><p><em>Produced, directed and edited by William Jones, Amber Kent, Kat McClung and Brianna Pender</em></p><p>Anhalt’s work, titled “Jean Anhalt” placed second overall in the documentary category. Another Austin Peay student, Tyra Manuel, produced an entry in the commercial/PSA category, titled “Respect Me, Respect LGBT,” which was also shown during the showcase. Her production was one of just four entries in the category to be shown during the evening’s event.</p><p>For more information on the Austin Peay Department of Communication, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/communication" title="www.apsu.edu/communication">www.apsu.edu/communication</a>, or call 931-221-7378.</p>Arts and LettersCommunicationThu, 03 Nov 2016 20:13:29 +0000harriscj135926 at http://www.apsu.eduAustin Peay history students conduct staff ride to historic Fort Donelson Civil War battlefieldhttp://www.apsu.edu/news/austin-peay-history-students-conduct-staff-ride-historic-fort-donelson-civil-war-battlefield
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/File_Nov_01_3_32_03_PM.jpeg" width="625" height="450" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. —&nbsp;If you can picture a nation as a living body with cities serving as vital organs and transportation paths such as roads, railways and rivers filling the roles of the arteries that provide life-sustaining blood to those major settlements, then it becomes easy to understand the significance of the Battle of Fort Donelson during the American Civil War.</p><p>Waged between Feb. 11-16, 1862, the Union’s capture of the Confederate fort near the Tennessee-Kentucky border accomplished a number of important tasks for its army. For one, it opened the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, providing important avenues to its invasion of the South. Just as important, the Union victory boosted support in the North and elevated a previously unknown leader, Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, to the rank of major general – and provided his army a hero with which its solders could rally around en route to victory.</p><p>Austin Peay State University associate professor of history Antonio Thompson and his American Military History to 1919 class recently took a staff ride to the historic battlefield, located in Dover, to gain a better understanding of the battle and its role in the broader picture of American Civil War.</p><p>Staff rides allow students the opportunity to visit historic sites and role-play the experiences of the people involved in that conflict. Seeing things previously only described in print allows students to gain a better understanding of the decisions made during the conflict.</p><p>“Talking about the Civil War in class is just us talking about the war in the abstract,” Thompson said. “You can learn about the conflict that way, but you gain a different understanding of things when you are able to see the battlefield for yourself.</p><p>“When we discuss World War II, we can’t go to famous European sites, but we can visit an important battlefield in the Civil War that is right in our backyard,” Thompson added.</p><p>Austin Peay students visited a number of important landmarks on the site, including the Lower River Battery — hills on the Cumberland River where Confederate gunners defeated a Union flotilla of gunboats — as well as many recreated Confederate trenches dug to defend the fort from advancing Union forces. Students also toured a reconstructed Confederate log hut — designed to recreate the winter quarters designed for soldiers garrisoning and working on the fort — and visited the Dover Hotel, the site of the unconditional Confederate surrender to Grant and his Union forces.</p><p>Austin Peay student Ivan Murdock served as active duty in the U.S. Army for 35 years and has lived in the Clarksville area for over three decades and said that the staff ride “refined” his already knowledgeable view of the battle.</p><p>“I’ve been out there before, but never after reading the text and hearing a couple of great lectures to lay out the battlefield (before the visit),” Murdock said. “(After the staff ride) I gained a new appreciation, because you could get a sense of the hopelessness of the Confederates and the size of what they were initially trying to defend.</p><p>“(The Battle of Fort Donelson) was truly a turning point in our history, and it was great to get out there and refine what I thought I knew,” Murdock added.</p><p>Katelynn DiStefano, a graduate student in the Austin Peay Department of History and Philosophy, specializes in the history of medical treatment during war, and she said the staff ride allowed her a better understanding of the human element of the Civil War.</p><p>“Seeing the Fort really put into perspective what the wounded men would have been put through,” DiStefano said. “Seeing the Fort brought the wounds the men suffered, and the many deaths to light. Learning that the graves of the Confederate soldiers (killed during the battle) are not located spurred me, and I hope to one day use my knowledge and experience in archaeology to help located them.</p><p>“The trip was an amazing experience and truly helpful to getting the scope of the battle,” DiStefano said.</p><p>Excursions like this staff ride help to empower students and serve as an example of the kinds of high-impact practices (HIP) defined in the&nbsp;Austin Peay Quality Enhancement Plan. (QEP). QEP HIPs&nbsp;are experiences that transform student perspective through reflection, helping them to apply learning in a variety of settings, both academic and non-academic.</p><p>“We are training the students in our classes to be the next generation of historians,” Thompson said. “When you’re training to be a professional historian, it’s important that you keep learning, because you’re not just teaching classes. Having an opportunity to see these sites in person is a valuable learning experience, and something these students needed to see.”</p><p>For more information about Austin Peay’s Department of History and Philosophy, visit <a href="http://www.apsu.edu/history" title="www.apsu.edu/history">www.apsu.edu/history</a>.</p>Arts and LettersHistory and PhilosophyWed, 02 Nov 2016 18:24:07 +0000harriscj135905 at http://www.apsu.eduZone 3 celebrates its 30th anniversary with reading, reception on Nov. 4 http://www.apsu.edu/news/zone-3-celebrates-its-30th-anniversary-reading-reception-nov-4
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Nov.4th_postcard_final_file.png" width="576" height="408" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Join Zone 3, the Austin Peay State University Center for Excellence for the Creative Arts’ literary journal, at 4 p.m. on Nov. 4, as it celebrates its 30<sup>th</sup> anniversary with readings by a number of award-winning former contributors and editors.</p><p>The event, which takes place in the Franklin Room at F&amp;M Bank in downtown Clarksville, is free and open to the public. The event begins with a reception, followed at 5 p.m. by readings from a number of authors, including accomplished poets and Austin Peay emeritus professors of English, Malcom Glass and David Till.</p><p>Glass is the author of two collections of poems, “In the Shadow of the Gourd” and “Bone Love,” as well as five chapbooks. He directed the creative writing program at Austin Peay for many years. Till arrived at Austin Peay in 1971, and in 1986, he served with Glass as founding editors of Zone 3. He collaborated with Glass on other University projects, including the creation of the Visiting Writers Series for the Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.</p><p>An accomplished writer, Till’s book of poems, “Oval,” was published by Zone 3 Press in 2006.</p><p>Former Zone 3 contributors Dustin Parsons, Gary McDowell and Caitlin McGuire will also read selections of their work during the event. Each author represents the national draw of Zone 3, bringing a unique perspective to the journal informed by their diverse backgrounds.</p><p>Parsons, an associate professor of English at State University of New York-Fredonia, has received numerous awards for his writing, including an Ohio Arts Grant and a New York Fine Arts grant in creative non-fiction, the 2013 American Literary Review Prize in fiction, the 2014 fiction prize from The Laurel Review and a "notable" in the 2014 Best American Essays. He was awarded a residency fellowship at Wyoming's Brush Creek Foundation of the Arts.</p><p>A Nashville resident, McDowell is an assistant professor of English at Belmont University, and is the co-editor of "The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Prose Poetry." He is the author of five collections of poetry, and his work has appeared in journals such as American Poetry review, The Nation and Gulf Coast.</p><p>McGuire was born and raised in California, but calls Seattle her home. As an author, her work has appeared in River Teeth, Harpur Palate, Redivider and Ninth Letter, among others. She has completed residencies in Croatia, Serbia and Brooklyn, New York.</p><p>For more information on Zone 3 and additional upcoming events, visit&nbsp;www.apsu.edu/zone3,&nbsp;or call 931-221-7031.</p>Arts and LettersCenter of Excellence for Creative Arts Tue, 01 Nov 2016 18:03:31 +0000harriscj135874 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU welcomes award-winning graphic designer Mitch Goldstein to campus this Thursdayhttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-welcomes-award-winning-graphic-designer-mitch-goldstein-campus-thursday
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/Unknown.jpeg" width="388" height="600" /></p><p>CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Austin Peay State University Department of Art and Design, with support from the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, will welcome award-winning graphic designer Mitch Goldstein to campus for student workshops and a visiting artist lecture this Thursday. Goldstein’s lecture will be at 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, in Trahern 401, and it will continue the department’s 2016-2017 Visiting Artist Speaker Series.</p><p>Goldstein is an artist and designer based in upstate New York, where he teaches in the School of Design at Rochester Institute of Technology. Goldstein's work combines a wide variety of digital and analog materials and methods, such as wet darkroom photography, laser cutting, digital imaging, printmaking, sculpture and 3D printing.</p><p>Working in collaboration with his wife and partner, Anne Jordan, Goldstein has created several award-winning book cover designs, including awards from Print, Graphis, Design Observer, CommArts, HOW, Type Director's Club, the University &amp; College Designers Association, the Association of American University Presses and others.</p><p>With support from the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, all Art and Design events are free and open to the public. For more information on this lecture, contact Michael Dickins, gallery director, at <a href="mailto:dickinsm@apsu.edu">dickinsm@apsu.edu</a>.</p>Mon, 31 Oct 2016 19:56:22 +0000boothcw135850 at http://www.apsu.eduAPSU biology grad students continue to excel in their researchhttp://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-biology-grad-students-continue-excel-their-research
<p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/scroll_biology2.jpg" width="600" height="338" /></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Since about 1950, the small-scale darter—a tiny fish that lives in tributaries of the Cumberland River—has existed in relative obscurity. Few scientists have heard of the darter or checked to see if the fish is in danger of disappearing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But for the last year and a half, Joshua Stonecipher, a graduate student with the Austin Peay State University Center of Excellence for Field Biology, has waded into local streams, trying to get an accurate estimate of the darter’s population size.</p><p>“They’re a species of special concern,” Stonecipher said. “They’re deemed in need of management, and the theme of my project is to see if they warrant listing as endangered.”</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stonecipher’s research could ultimately save the darters from going extinct, and earlier this year, he received external grants from three major organizations—the North American Fishes Association, the Society for Freshwater Science and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists—to continue his important work.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “I’m very excited about this,” he said recently. “The grants are probably more than I could have asked for. I’ll probably get some recognition because of these grants, and others will look at my work and pick it up when I’m done.”</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At smaller institutions without doctoral programs, it’s unusual for a graduate student to earn three external grants for his or her research, but in APSU’s Department of Biology, this type of success is pretty typical. In the last year alone, APSU’s biology graduate students have earned several national awards, received thousands of dollars in grants, had more than 10 papers published in scientific journals and delivered 20 presentations at major conferences.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “With the publications, that demonstrates that their research is leading to real scientific products,” Dr. Rebecca Johansen, APSU associate professor of biology, said. “With the presentations, I would point out that many were given at international conferences, and we had five students this year get awards for presentations at large regional or international meetings.”</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Recent APSU graduate Kris Wild was one of those students, earning the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists’ award for best poster presentation.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “That was a really big deal,” Johansen said. “That’s a large international society, and he was competing against Ph.D. students from R1 institutions.” R1 is a classification for doctoral universities that have the highest research activity.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The success of APSU’s small graduate program is one of the reasons why Megan Hart decided to apply to Austin Peay. Hart earned her undergraduate degree from APSU, but she was looking to go somewhere else for her master’s degree.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “The opportunities the Center of Excellence provides are just fantastic,” she said. “I was thinking of moving away from Austin Peay, but I was offered a really awesome project here, and I wasn’t offered this type of project anywhere else.”</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hart now spends about four months each year walking around marshes in southern Louisiana, collecting research on how the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill has affected birds nesting along the coast. Her work recently led her to earn the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s inaugural Robert M. Hatcher Memorial Scholarship.</p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; “That will help because doing research in Louisiana gets expensive,” Hart said. “But it feels amazing to have a really hard-hitting project on something that has affected so many people.”</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The APSU Department of Biology offers a research-focused Master of Science program to students who majored or minored in biology during undergraduate studies. The program can be completed in two to three years, and prepares students for a variety of careers. The program is offered through the APSU Clarksville campus and admits during fall and spring terms.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; For more information, contact Johansen at <a href="mailto:johansenr@apsu.edu">johansenr@apsu.edu</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/news/scroll_biology1.jpg" width="600" height="555" /></p>BiologyCenter for Field BiologyScience and MathematicsWed, 26 Oct 2016 19:38:58 +0000boothcw135790 at http://www.apsu.edu